The present invention relates to a protecting device for a fail-safe purpose in case of a failure, an accident, etc. in an electromobile incorporating a synchronous motor therein as a power source.
The development of electromobiles has rapidly progressed from the viewpoint of countermeasures against environmental problems, and the power source of an increasing number of the recent electromobiles has been replaced with an alternating current motor from a direct current motor because of its advantageous points such as maintenance easiness and the like. Particularly, a synchronous motor using a magnet as a rotor is highly efficient, and therefore eagerly fitted for use in the electromobiles. While the synchronous motor of this kind has conventionally been widely used in the factory automation or industrial field, the basic controlling system of the synchronous motor used in electromobiles is almost the same as in the factory automation or industrial usage.
However, because of the undeniable fact that human lives are exposed to a high risk in vehicles, it is necessary to take all possible fail-safe measures.
The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a protecting device of an electromobile designed to secure safety in case of an emergency or abnormality.
In accomplishing these and other objects, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a protecting device of an electromobile having a control device to control a rotating speed of a motor on the basis of a control signal of the motor, which comprises:
a detecting means for detecting interruption of input of the control signal of the motor and outputting a detecting signal; and
a stopping means for stopping supply of electricity to the motor in response to the detecting signal of the detecting means.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the protecting device as described in the first aspect,
wherein the control device controls the rotating speed of the motor on the basis of an accelerator signal and a brake signal, and
the detecting means is a detecting means for detecting interruption of input of the accelerator signal and outputting the detecting signal.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the protecting device as described in the first aspect,
wherein the control device controls the rotating speed of the motor on the basis of an accelerator signal, a brake signal, and an output signal from an encoder sensor set in the motor, and
the detecting means is a detecting means for detecting interruption of input of the output signal from the encoder sensor and outputting the detecting signal.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the protecting device as described in the first aspect,
wherein the control device controls the rotating speed of the motor on the basis of an accelerator signal, a brake signal, and an output signal from a CS sensor set in the motor, and
the detecting means is a detecting means for detecting interruption of input of the output signal from the CS sensor and outputting the detecting signal.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the protecting device as described in the first aspect,
wherein the control device controls the rotating speed of the motor on the basis of an accelerator signal, a brake signal, and an output signal from a phase current detector set in the motor, and
the detecting means is a detecting means for detecting interruption of input of the output signal from the phase current detector and outputting the detecting signal.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a protecting device of an electromobile having a control device to control a rotating speed of a motor on the basis of an accelerator signal and a brake signal, which comprises a current detecting means for detecting a value of a phase current of the motor and outputting a detecting signal, and a stopping means for stopping supply of electricity to the motor when the phase current of the motor is abnormal on the basis of the detecting signal of the current detecting means.
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a protecting device of an electromobile having a control device to control a rotating speed of a motor using a primary battery as a power source on the basis of an accelerator signal and a brake signal, which comprises a current detecting means for detecting a value of a current of the primary battery and outputting a detecting signal, and a stopping means for stopping supply of electricity to the motor when the current of the primary battery is abnormal on the basis of the detecting signal of the current detecting means.
According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a protecting device of an electromobile having a control device to control a rotating speed of a motor using a primary battery as a power source on the basis of an accelerator signal and a brake signal, which comprises a voltage detecting means for detecting a value of a voltage of the primary battery and outputting a detecting signal, and a current limiting means for limiting a current fed to the motor by a decreasing amount of the voltage of the primary battery on the basis of the detecting signal of the detecting means.
According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a protecting device of an electromobile having a control device to control a rotating speed of a motor using a primary battery as the power source on the basis of an accelerator signal and a brake signal, which comprises a voltage detecting means for detecting a value of a voltage of the primary battery and outputting a detecting signal, and a current limiting means for controlling a field-weakening current fed to the motor on the basis of the detecting signal of the detecting means when the voltage of the primary battery is abnormally increased, thereby reducing a regenerative amount from the motor to the primary battery.
According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a protecting device of an electromobile having a control device to control a rotating speed of a motor using a primary battery as a power source on the basis of an accelerator signal and a brake signal, and a control battery to supply electricity to the control device, which comprises a voltage detecting means for detecting a value of a voltage of the control battery and outputting a detecting signal, and a stopping means for stopping supply of electricity to the motor on the basis of the detecting signal of the detecting means when the voltage of the control battery is abnormally decreased.
According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a protecting device of an electromobile having a control device to control a rotating speed of a motor on the basis of an accelerator signal and a brake signal, which comprises a detecting means for detecting overheat of the motor and outputting a detecting signal, and a controlling means for stopping or limiting supply of electricity to the motor in response to the detecting signal of the detecting means.
According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a protecting device of an electromobile having an inverter driving a motor and a control device to control a rotating speed of the motor on the basis of an accelerator signal and a brake signal, which comprises a detecting means for detecting overheat of a switching element of the inverter and outputting a detecting signal, and a controlling means for stopping or limiting supply of electricity to the motor in response to the detecting signal of the detecting means.